Esk War Memorial is a heritage-listed

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

at Ipswich Street, Esk, Somerset Region,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. It was designed by

George Brockwell Gill George Brockwell Gill (1857–1954) was an architect in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. Many of the buildings he designed are heritage-listed. Early life George Brockwell Gill was born in 1857 in the Lambert district of Surrey, England. Archite ...

and built in 1920 by Frank Williams & Co. It is also known as Esk Memorial Park. It was added to the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

on 21 October 1992.

History

Esk Memorial Park was proclaimed a reserve for memorial purposes in 1979, but a

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

memorial has stood on the site, at the intersection of Highland and Ipswich Streets, since 1921. The memorial was commissioned by the Esk Patriotic Committee on behalf of the Shire of Esk. Subscriptions commenced in 1916, and tenders were called in April 1919 by prominent Ipswich architect

. The foundation stone was laid on 30 November 1920, and the memorial was unveiled on 28 September 1921 by General Lachlan Chisholm Wilson. The masonry work was carried out by the Ipswich firm of Frank Williams & Co., and the art metalwork was supplied by

Wunderlich Ltd Wunderlich were a brand of decorative metal panels used for pressed metal ceilings and other architectural elements in Australia. History The Wunderlich company was established by Ernest Julius Wunderlich in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in ...

of Sydney. It cost . This was not the first war memorial in the shire. Colinton had erected an honour board at the local School of Arts building in 1916, and a stone memorial in 1917. The Toogoolawah War Memorial had been unveiled in March 1917. In 1983 the memorial park was extended, and a stone memorial to Captain

Patrick Logan Captain Patrick Logan (1791 – October 1830) was the commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement from 1826 until his death in 1830 at the hands of Aboriginal Australians who objected to him entering their lands. As he had been hated by con ...

, commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement who was murdered while exploring the

Brisbane Valley The Somerset Region is a local government area located in the West Moreton region of South East Queensland, Australia, about northwest of Brisbane and centred on the town of Esk. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the Shire of Esk and t ...

in 1830, was erected in the park in 1984. The site was landscaped in 1985. In 1988 some of the lettering on the First World War memorial was restored, and two plaques commemorating Australian sacrifice in post-1945 conflicts were affixed. In 1991 another plaque was attached, honouring those who fell in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Description

Esk Memorial Park, which contains two stone monuments and landscaped paths and gardens, is located in the main street of Esk. The First World War memorial consists of a sandstone plinth with four ionic corner

pilasters In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall ...

and an

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

sheeted in bronze. Recessed into each of the four faces is a marble tiled panel with a bronze honour roll of 462 shire residents who enlisted together with the letters AIF and its emblem. The memorial sits on a stepped base of concrete aggregate. Three bronze honour rolls bearing the names of 83 local men who fell during the First World War are fixed to the side and rear of the plinth. Four commemorative plaques bearing inscriptions 1939 –

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

1945, 1914 – The Great War – In Honour Of Our Boys – 1919,

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

–

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

, and

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...

–

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

are fixed to the front of the plinth. Also located within the park is a memorial to Captain Logan. This consists of a single, upright sandstone block. Fixed to the northern face is a bronze plaque bearing an inscription in white lettering. The park is landscaped with native trees and palms, and includes pathways, a barbecue area, seating and a children's playground.

Heritage listing

Esk War Memorial was listed on the

on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. Esk War Memorial, erected in 1921, is important in demonstrating the pattern of Queensland's history, being evidence of a widespread social movement expressing

Australian patriotism Australian patriotism is patriotism involving cultural attachment of Australians to Australia as their homeland. Australian patriotism has been identified by some as distinct from Australian nationalism because of the emphasis of Australian patr ...

and

nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of peo ...

during and immediately following the First World War 914–18 The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. The First World War Memorial demonstrates the principal characteristics of a class of commemorative structures erected as a record of the local impact of a major historical event and intended to endure, and is a major regional example of its type. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The place exhibits aesthetic characteristics valued by the community, including the landmark quality and aesthetic value and craftsmanship of the First World War memorial, and the contribution of the park and memorial to the Esk townscape. The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The place has a special association for the Esk community as a form of public recognition of local participation in a major historical event. The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. The memorial is significant as an unusual example of the work of Ipswich architect GB Gill.

References

Attribution

External links

{{commons category-inline, Esk War Memorial Queensland Heritage Register Esk, Queensland World War I memorials in Queensland Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register World War II memorials in Queensland Korean War memorials in Queensland Borneo confrontation memorials in Queensland Vietnam War memorials in Queensland Malayan Emergency memorials in Queensland Buildings and structures in Somerset Region